TZW
He explained that usually, after the President issued directives related to the status of urban centres, the government, through its organs, immediately set procedures in motion, to ensure that the directives were incorporated in the country’s laws. “
Responsible government’s departments such as Regional Authorities and Local Government (RALG) and State Attorneys have embarked on the matter, to ensure that the Bill is tabled in Parliament soon,” he pledged, giving instructions to the responsible State organs to act as according.
Speaker Job Ndugai reinforced the matter, telling Attorney General Adelardus Kilangi that Parliament would be delighted if the Bill were tabled by the end of October this year. “Thanks Prime Minister for the good answers, I hope that the Attorney General has taken note;
it would be nice if Bill were read for the first time in October as stated by the prime minister,” he said. The issue came up in the House following a question from Special Seats MP Felister Bura (CCM), whose thrust was a request to the government to tell Parliament when it would table the Bill after President’s directive.
Meanwhile, she said she believed the decision of upgrading Dodoma to city status had not come from a vacuum because several meetings had been held on the issue.“We believe that in order for Dodoma to rapidly expand, it is supposed to be given the status it deserves.
But, it is surprising that some people scoff at the decision by President John Magufuli. I am asking the Prime Minister to clarify to these people on this decision,” she remarked. After her request, the prime minister defended the President’s decision, saying he was right and had come at the right time. “
I believe the residents of Dodoma and all citizens at large have welcomed it with two hands,” he said, elaborating that the President had done it within his legal powers regarding the needs and above all Dodoma has qualified for that status.
Besides being the government’s base, other factors count, such as availability of social services (water, health services) and infrastructures such as roads, which are being improved. Its revenues have also continued to grow and major institutions have established their offices in Dodoma